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Learn How To Swim Like A Pro In Just 7 Days

Justin Patrick

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Copyright 2016 by Justin Patrick

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted

in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or

mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case

of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses

permitted by copyright law.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: 7 Reasons Why YOU Should Swim

Chapter 2: My Journey Into Swimming

Chapter 3: Breathing

Overcoming The Fear Of Swimming

Can‟t Float Like Everyone Else? Here Is How

Chapter 4: Swimming Hacked

Chapter 5: Essential Swimming Equipment

Chapter 6: When to Swim

Chapter 7: Where to swim

Chapter 8: Personal Success Stories

1: My Mom‟s Learn-To-Swim Success Story

2. Renay‟s Story

3: Antony‟s Honeymoon Swimming Story

Chapter 9: Private vs Group vs Solo Lessons

Chapter 10: FAQ

Conclusion

What‟s Next?

Step 1: Learn More…

Step 2: Get Better Fast!

Step 3: Get In Touch With Me

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Introduction

Yay you made it! Welcome to your own personal guide on learning how to

swim easily and more effectively by yours truly. I want to personally thank you

and congratulate you for downloading 7 Day Swim. For a beginner or

someone new to swimming, entering a pool for the first time can be scary and

intimidating. Thankfully, I am here to personally assist you in overcoming

your fear and in becoming more confident in the water.

This book contains time-tested proven steps and strategies that I‟ve used to

swim like a pro through years and years of training, teaching and trial and

error. If you‟re new to swimming or need some refreshers to help improve

your swimming skills, then this book is for you. While swimming lessons do

come in handy and are encouraged, if you want a more hands-on approach,

then I encourage you to teach yourself how to swim by using this guide. If you

wish to learn more about how to swim in just seven days please visit

7dayswim.co

Coincidentally, there are seven parts to this book. The first chapter will cover

seven reasons why you should learn to swim including why it is a wiser choice

compared to jogging. In the second chapter, I will open myself up to you and

reveal my journey to learning the sport throughout my childhood. Next, we

will cover the importance of breathing in chapter three and the two swimming

styles (aka strokes) you will essentially need in chapter four. In chapter five,

we will lay out what equipment you will need in order to swim. Finally, the last

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two chapters will cover when and where to swim including some tricks and

tips to make it easier on your learning process.

July 2016 Update: Over the years, I have received feedback from readers,

which has prompted me to expand the original scope of this book. For

instance, I’ve expanded the book from the original 7 chapters to 10 chapters

to cover different aspects of swimming that people have been asking about.

I hope you that this book will help you in your venture into swimming and

make you excited to try the greatest sport ever!

Thanks again for downloading this book. I hope you enjoy it!

~Justin 7dayswim.co

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Chapter 1: 7 Reasons Why YOU Should Swim

Here are 7 reasons that I came up with from the top of my head:

1. Swimming Is A Useful Skill

Water, water everywhere! Earth, the planet that we live in, is made up of 80%

water. We are mostly surrounded by different types of bodies of water no

matter what type of landmass our country has. There‟s the ocean where we

can surf, the river where we can do rafting, lakes for watersports and of course

the traditional swimming pool where we can just relax and enjoy ourselves.

Learning how to swim is the best way to enjoy these activities, not to mention,

it looks pretty cool.

2. Swimming Is An All-In-One Workout

Swimming is regarded as an all-around exercise. It is classified as a low-

impact aerobic form of physical activity that will give you a full body workout.

There is no soreness afterwards like a strenuous workout in the gym or severe

joint pain when running or moving feverishly on land. In fact, it combines the

best of both worlds i.e. resistance and aerobic exercise, simply because it uses

the power of water. Workout and cardio together… two for the price of one!

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3. Anyone Can Swim

Swimming is universal meaning that anyone can do it. Unlike Crossfit, jogging

or other forms of bodily punishment, anyone can swim. All body types

whether it is children, adults, senior citizens, even injured or disabled

persons; you are among the many that can learn to swim, so essentially there

are no excuses not to. Moreover, swimming is indeed a wise option for

individuals who are undergoing transitional exercises to heal injuries. A lot of

athletes these days use swimming as part of their rehabilitation.

Fun fact of the day: did you know that Kobe Bryant used to jog in the pool

once when he got his knee hurt?

4. Swimming Prevents Risk Of Injury

Swimming is practically safe on our bodies. Not only does the water provide

resistance and aerobic exercise but it also acts as a support system. Sprinting

back and forth across a track can induce so many variables to injury. We could

trip, fall, crash, sprain an ankle, pull a muscle, etc. Swimming on the other

hand eliminates all of those risks since our bodies can work with the water or

go with the flow. Furthermore, swimming decreases the risk of heat stress.

For example, the more laps we do, the more our bodies heat up. Water can

counter this by providing a cooling effect whereas being in a hot and sweaty

aerobics studio cannot. In contrast, the use of warm water i.e. pool Jacuzzi can

stimulate blood circulation, relax muscles and even promote healing of certain

injuries.

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5. Swimming Promotes Weight-loss

Wanna lose weight? Try swimming! There is no doubt that obesity is rampant

in today‟s society. The main culprits are lack of physical activity and very poor

eating patterns; diets full of synthetic fats and carbohydrates that build up in

the body. Obesity does not kill, but the complications and diseases that it can

start will, like Diabetes that can further cause kidney and liver problems as

well as cardiovascular diseases. Cardio disease is caused by too much

cholesterol which is a type of fat and too much salt in the diet. Too much fat

can accumulate to block our arteries that serve as a pathways for our blood to

deliver oxygen around our body when this hardens cardiovascular disease

starts to progress. Interestingly, swimming is a very good cardio workout and

has been proven to lower our risks to obesity, diabetes or even heart diseases.

Overweight individuals will have no problem treading in the pool because

water resistance will help them to move.

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6. Swimming Is EXCELLENT For Toning Up

If you want that well-toned look (especially all you ladies) then swimming is

for you. Swimming is the perfect alternative to toning up muscles than any

boring workout in the gym. Since swimming involves using your entire body

to move across the water, the toning process will not just occur in one part of

your body but every part of your body. Abs, arms, shoulders and legs are

equally exhausted, giving you that well-defined look …and that‟s where we got

the thinking that swimmers do have very nice bodies. Under the surface,

swimming can increase both our muscle strength and endurance as well. In

fact, when we do slow swimming, it increases our muscle strength since every

stroke would meet water resistance while if we do fast swimming in an aerobic

pace, we‟re doing muscle strengthening as well as cardio and muscle

endurance… a total package.

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7. Swimming Can Save Your Life

Sad to mention, drowning and water accidents is the third leading cause of

unintentional injury or death worldwide. It accounts for 7% of all the deaths

that accounts for 359,000 casualties per year based on the April 2014 fact

sheet of the World Health Organization. That being said, learning how to

swim doesn‟t just keep us fit and healthy but also a wise precaution for safety

if we are to enjoy any aquatic activities.

Now that you have a good understanding of how you stand to benefit through

swimming, let me start by sharing with you my journey into swimming.

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Chapter 2: My Journey Into Swimming

Me chillin at the pool

Hi, I‟m Justin, nice to meet you! You‟re probably wondering who I am and

what right do I have in making this book. Well, to start off, I‟ve been an avid

swimmer, lifeguard and swim instructor for over ten years now. I‟ve also

trained alongside the best and did some competitive swimming for a while. I

LOVE swimming. Being in the water makes me feel like a fish, weightless,

carefree. I can literally drown out all of my worries and the world behind me

when fully submerged. My goal is to teach others not just how to swim but to

enjoy being in the water. I‟ve taught people of all ages: babies, kids, adults,

teens and even some seniors who need help. It‟s never to late to learn!

To be honest, I was never good at swimming. In fact, I am confident to say

that I was the worst swimmer in the world. I struggled and struggled and

struggled a lot. When I was a kid, I was always scared of the water. To

overcome this fear, my mother would enroll my sister and I in swimming

lessons at our local pool. Every time I would dread going into the water and

my cruel swim instructor would dunk my head underwater without remorse.

For me, being in the water every time meant life or death. Every breath would

soon be my last. I was too young to die. This was the worst form of torture

ever!

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My mom and I in Hawaii

I repeated so many swim levels. As a result, I was always the oldest in my

swimming classes as a result of being left behind so many times. Even during

my journey into becoming a lifeguard, I struggled in endurance and form. My

instructors would always point out my weaknesses and I had to work really

hard (almost to the point of death) in order to keep up with my peers. I‟ve

swallowed pretty much an entire sea load of water up my nose and lungs; I‟ve

spent thousands of hours inside chlorinated water that my skin has changed

color over the years and I‟ve failed so many times over and over again that I

wanted to just cry and give up. Why go through all this trouble you say?

What motivated and pushed me to go further was my mother. My mother

always dreamed of me becoming a lifeguard. When she was a child, my

mother almost drowned to death. One day she was swimming at her local pool

and accidentally drifted into the deep end. She was not good at swimming,

panicked, and started drowning. She thought she was going to die in the

water, until somebody rescued her. A lifeguard pulled her out of the water and

saved my mother‟s life. That near-death experience and regret of not knowing

how to swim really stuck with my mother, which is why my she continued

enrolling my sister and I in swimming lessons no matter how many times I

failed.

Now, if you have a fear of drowning or regret of not being able to swim, then I

understand your pain. I have been there and I know exactly how you feel.

Swimming is so much fun but it comes with a learning curve and certain

challenges that can be overcome. Hard work really does pay off and lucky for

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you, I‟m here to show you my best tips and tactics based on years and years of

struggle to getting started. I hope you can relate to my early beginnings and

from here on end, I can show you how to get really good at swimming in no

time!

Are you ready to get started? Let‟s start the learning process from the

beginning.

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Chapter 3: Breathing

It all starts with breathing. If swimming is a house then its foundation is built

on breathing.

If we were fish with gills then we could skip this chapter entirely.

Nevertheless, in swimming, breathing is the most important skill you will have

to master, not your arms, not your legs but breathing. Every swimming lesson

starts off with blowing bubbles. Why? Because blowing good bubbles focuses

on good breathing. If we don‟t have good breathing, then we don‟t have a good

foundation; conversely, the better we breathe, the better we can swim; period!

I‟ve taught a lot of students throughout the years and I have observed that

80% of all the problems that swimmers have are a result of this.

Essentially, swimming consists of two things: moving in the water, and being

comfortable in the water. Breathing obviously tackles the latter. If we are not

comfortable (i.e. scared of drowning) in the water, then our breathing is not

relaxed. When we are not relaxed, then our body usually tenses up and when

our body tenses up, we tend to sink (like a rock) and thus can‟t swim

effectively. To alleviate this, we must first learn how to breathe properly which

consists of three things:

1. Breathe deeply

2. Breathe efficiently

3. Breathe consistently

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When we breathe deeply, we are more likely to float in the water. So how do

we breathe properly? Proper breathing or deep breathing uses the diaphragm,

a very powerful muscle that can maximize your breathing. Let‟s start with

some land breathing exercises using just our mouth:

1. Sit up straight. Correct your posture and broaden your shoulders. Make

sure that you don‟t slouch. However, you can also lie down if you want.

2. Put your hands on top of your stomach- that‟s where your diaphragm

is.

3. Breathe and concentrate on that muscle. Feel it go up and down as you

inhale and exhale.

4. Do it rhythmically in calm and relaxing manner.

It would also help if you would minimize your voluntary effort to move

your shoulders and chest.

Now that we are breathing deeply, we must breathe efficiently. Unlike

breathing on land, in swimming, we only use our mouth. Nostril breathing

complicates things and is not necessary when submerged in water. You will

notice that some swimmers use nose plugs in order to cut off nostril breathing.

Unless you want that wasabi sensation inhaling a snort full of water up your

nose, I suggest that you refrain from nostril breathing, which will come with

practice. This would help us control the water that could possibly get inside

our body as well as get more oxygen out of a single gulp of air.

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Finally, we need to learn how to breathe in a consistent manner and the way

we practice this is by using progressions aka blowing bubbles. Practice this at

a shallow end of a pool by placing both hands onto the wall and knees bent

into a supportive stance.

1. Submerge your body in the water and dip your chin into the water

2. Take a deep breath using your diaphragm and exhale into the water by

dipping your mouth only into the water (your nose should be out of the

water)

3. Exhale slowly, relaxed and with a consistent flow of air

4. When finished, slowly remove your mouth from the water with your

chin still dipped in the water

5. Your goal is to blow bubbles for at least 5-10 seconds

6. Do this exercise 5 times and then repeat again, (3 sets of 5)

After you have completed this, then you‟re ready to move on. If you‟re having

a hard time blowing bubbles for at least 5 seconds consistently then keep

practicing until you are comfortable to move onto the next stage:

Stage 2: repeat the same exercise but insert your nose into the water (your

eyes should be out of the water)

Stage 3: repeat the same exercise as stage 2 but insert your eyes into the water

(using goggles)

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Stage 4: repeat the same exercise as stage 3 but insert your entire head into

the water

Remember that you have to accomplish each of these exercises as calm and

relaxed as you can. Your jaw should be relaxed and only your lips should apply

pressure when exhaling into the water. Don‟t grip the wall or the railings too

tight but just enough that you would feel safe and confident. From here on,

you‟re then ready to tackle floats, then glides, and then kicking, etc. To learn

more advanced tactics please visit www.7dayswim.co.

Congratulations! You‟re one step ahead of the game now.

Obviously, breathing is just one part of the equation. You still have to

overcome the fear of being under water before you can think of swimming. As

you try to swim, the fear of drowning will be real. This fear is an automatic

response that you may not have much control over in the beginning. However,

that does not mean you should give up on your quest to becoming a good

swimmer. So how do you overcome the fear that feels so incapacitating?

Overcoming The Fear Of Swimming

Overcoming this fear can be difficult. It can actually hold you back from

learning how to swim. Nevertheless, it doesn‟t have to be that way.

Read the few tips below to overcome the fear:

Note: Try swimming in a swimming pool as opposed to a river or ocean; the

pool water is likely to be clear so you can see what is in the water, which

definitely makes you feel much more relaxed as opposed to if you tried

swimming in opaque water. As you do this, ensure to wear swimming goggles

to keep off the chlorinated water from your eyes- you swim while your eyes are

open.

1. Start by sitting across the pool edge and then let your legs dangle inside the

water as you sweep back and forth. Don‟t be in a hurry to move forward-

just enjoy the sensation of water flowing around your legs

2. Then proceed to scoop some water with your hands and apply it to your

face i.e. as if you are washing your face. This will get you used to having

your face coming in contact with water.

3. Next, scoop some water using your hands then hold your breath and then

proceed to splash the water into your face. Since you are wearing goggles,

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your eyes will be protected; you don‟t feel uncomfortable to have water in

your eyes. Since you are holding your breath and are sitting upright, you

will notice that the water does not get into your nose and mouth. Just

enjoy the refreshing sensation of the water on your face.

4. Now you can move to the next step; get into the pool via the ladder or the

steps- from the shallow end of the pool. Ensure that the water does not get

above your chest then walk around for some time ensuring to stay within

the shallow area of the pool. It may be best to walk along the wall of the

pool while holding yourself against the wall. This will get you to feel much

more comfortable in the water. You will also enjoy the sensation of water

around your body.

Now that you are getting comfortable in the pool, you can now start training

yourself how to put your head into the water. In following exercises, I will

show you how you can actually lower your head into the water up to a point

where you feel comfortable with your head submerged under water. Don‟t get

scared; we are still doing all this in shallow waters.

1. Start by holding your breath then slowly crouch down until your lips are

right above the surface of water. How do you feel? Are you feeling anxious

or scared? Just notice the feeling and try multiple times until you feel

comfortable with water so close to your lips.

2. When you are fully comfortable, try holding your breath then slowly

crouch down (with your mouth closed) then see if you can actually get your

mouth under the water. Take care to keep the water surface between your

nose and the mouth- don‟t put your nose under the water yet. Do you

notice how the water cannot get into your mouth? How does it feel to have

your nose so close to the water without drowning? Try to breath while in

this position- make sure that the water is calm i.e. there are no waves.

Stand up and repeat this multiple times until you get comfortable at it.

3. Then the next step is to put your mouth under the water and allow the

nostrils to touch the surface of the water (without being submerged

though). Try holding your breath for a few seconds, and hold that position

for some time until you are comfortable with that position. The point here

is to calm your mind with the idea that you can have water in your nostrils

provided you don‟t breath in.

4. Next, try holding your breath and then proceed to crouch down until the

nose is completely under water ensuring that the surface of water is

between your nose and the eyes. Keep your eyes and ears above the water

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surface at this stage. Notice how water gets into your nostrils without

suffocating you (You are holding your breath) and without hurting. Hold

this specific position for some time then stand up to take another breathe

and then repeat.

5. The next step is taking it a little further; submerge your ears but keep your

eyes above the surface of water. Notice how you have water in your ears

and how they feel muffled. Hold for a few seconds then stand up. Don‟t

worry about water getting into your ears; your ear drum will prevent it

from causing any damage/harm.

6. In the next step, go all in; put your eyes under water. Keep in mind that

you are wearing goggles so your eyes won‟t get into contact with water.

Hold this particular position for a several seconds (for as long as possible)

then try standing up to take a breath. Take some time to observe the

strange world that‟s under the water. To get you comfortable in the water,

you can add some fun to it; submerge yourself into the water and emerge

your head. Repeat this until you are comfortable with your head under the

water, remove it to breath and repeat.

In the next part of this learning module, we‟ll move a little further. If you are

fully comfortable with everything we‟ve learnt so far, we can move to the next

step, which will entail exhaling in water while ensuring you don‟t end up

getting water into your nose or mouth. That will entail learning how to blow

bubbles. So how should you go about it?

1. Start by breathing in as you stand within the shallow end of the pool then

hold your breath. Crouch down such that your mouth is right below the

surface of the water while the nose is still above the surface of water. Next,

exhale through the mouth ensuring to blow bubbles in the water. As you

will notice, as long as you exhale, water won‟t get into your mouth- the

same applies to when you hold your breath. Stand and breathe in again.

2. Then repeat the previous exercise but now, instead of keeping your nose

above the water, ensure they are submerged; keep the eyes above the

water. Keep the mouth shut and then slowly blow bubbles through the

nose. You will notice that water won‟t get in. Try holding your breath for as

long as possible then exhale and stand up. Repeat this process but now add

the mouth to the „blowing bubbles' exercise.

3. Repeat the process while your head (eyes, ears, mouth etc.) are all in the

water.

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Now that you are used to keeping your head under water for a few moments,

the next bit is learning how to float.

Can’t Float Like Everyone Else? Here Is How

For starters, it is important to remind you that you are fully capable of floating

but you will only do that when you are fully relaxed. Your body is made up of

up to 60% water so slightly denser than water. If you fill it up with air (the

lungs), you will float effortlessly- Archimedes‟ Principle supports this:

This means that water will essentially push you up the surface given that your

body is less dense than water when you breath in! That‟s where the

importance of breathing comes in (we‟ve already discussed breathing). To get

you started, you can start with the mushroom float. Here is how to go about it:

Start by standing in the shallow area of the pool then take a deep breath, then

draw your legs up against your chest and then brace your legs with the arms.

You will notice that your feet will lose contact with the ground. When you do

this, you will float for a few seconds. Whenever you need to breath in, simply

unroll, then put your feet on the ground and stand up to get your head above

the water. Breath in and repeat.

As you will notice, your head submerges but you still float close to the surface

of water. Go on to exhale while you are curled up. You will notice that your

body starts sinking as your lungs get empty. This essentially means that your

body floats as long as your lungs are filled with air.

Note: Some people (minority) still sink even when they have filled their

lungs with air. This mostly happens to very skinny people or those with

whose body fat percentage is very low e.g. bodybuilders. To make this work,

you may need to scull a little more with your hands or even tread water

using your feet in order to float.

Implement this for some time until you are completely comfortable with the

water and can float. The next bit is getting horizontal. To swim, you must get

horizontal given that most swim strokes entail spending most time in the

horizontal position. Here is how to go about it:

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1. Start by going to the shallow area of the pool then crouch down until the

water is at the level of your chest. Next, extend your arms a little forward

then take a deep breath and hold the breath.

2. Next, glide forward into the water as if you are moving forward on a bed

that‟s made of water. As you do this, ensure to keep your head in a neutral

position i.e. in line with your spine. This is important because as the body

gets into the horizontal position, you will notice that the face will be under

water. But since you are holding your breath, water won‟t get in your

nostrils.

3. Next, ensure to slide forward to a point where your body is completely

extended. Then get comfortable in that position and then hold it for several

seconds or until you can no longer hold your breath. Although your

position may be completely horizontal whereby you are floating freely and

sticking to the surface of water, you could as well be tilted i.e. while the

upper body is supported by the water although the feet are touching the

ground. You could also be somewhere in between these two positions

depending on your body composition; either of these is just fine as long as

you can relax and feel completely supported by the water for a few

moments.

4. If you want to stand up, simply pull your knees towards the chest then

move your arms a little downwards. In this case, your torso will actually

roll into some sort of upright position where the feet will be beneath the

torso. Next, extend your legs then touch the ground with your feet and

then stand upright.

Important note: If you are a sinker due to being skinny or low body fat

percentage (explained above), simply try to relax for a few seconds while you

are lying flat on your stomach on the pool ground (ensure it is in the shallow

area of the pool).

I believe you should now be considerably comfortable in water. The next bit

will cover how to glide in a horizontal position on your stomach while

ensuring that you still feel completely supported by the water. Here is how to

go about it:

1. Turn your back towards the pool wall- ensure you are in the shallow area

of the pool.

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2. Then take a deep breath, hold the breath and then try drawing the legs up

towards the chest i.e. the way you did in the mushroom float above. Try

not to brace the legs with the arms though; simply extend the arms

forward instead and then try extending your legs backwards as the same

time in order to push yourself quickly against the vertical of the wall of the

swimming pool.

3. Next, try extending the body and get as horizontal as you possibly can.

Ensure to keep the head in line with the trunk then try to glide as far as

you can. In the end, your forward momentum will stop after which the legs

may drop at the end of the glide. To stand properly, simply draw your legs

towards the chest then roll down and then extend and touch the ground

with the feet. Repeat this for several times or until you feel you are well

balanced and fairly horizontal while you glide.

If you are having challenges with this, get a friend to help you with towing:

1. In this case, simply get into the horizontal position while the arms are

extended forward but push yourself away from the wall. Ensure your friend

grabs one of your hands and tows you forward. You will notice that it does

not take too much forward movement to get you to float in a fairly

horizontal position as long as you are keeping your body straight and are

relaxed.

2. Once comfortable, let your friend release the hand a little after you‟ve

developed some good forward momentum. You will notice that you still

float and can actually move forward a few steps until the momentum

comes to a stop.

Most importantly: Don‟t be in a hurry to go to the next chapter. In fact, I‟d

recommend you practice what you‟ve learnt so far for at least five days

(spending at least 2 hours in the water or more daily) so that you can get

yourself fully ready for the subsequent chapters. So if you are not swimming

daily or cannot dedicate this amount of time every day for the five days, you

may find yourself taking much more time to be ready for the next chapters.

If you notice you can swim for about 3-5 minutes straight without stopping to

gasp for breath, you are ready for the next chapter.

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Chapter 4: Swimming Hacked

Now it‟s time to hack swimming and find some shortcuts. After becoming

comfortable in the water through proper breathing and relaxation, we can now

turn our attention to moving more effectively in the water. The way we do this

is by performing strokes. There are four main strokes every swimmer learns:

1. Front crawl aka freestyle

2. Back crawl

3. Breaststroke

4. Butterfly

In our goal for efficiency and shortcuts, we can eliminate two of these strokes

from our list. Which ones are they? Let‟s find out and take a closer look at

each of them one by one.

Front crawl is the bread and butter of swimming. Every swimmer first

learns this stroke and its visual display is synonymous with swimming and

competition. It‟s a fast and powerful stroke that uses a lot of stamina and

muscles in the body… plus it looks sexy.

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Back crawl is usually the next stroke a swimmer learns. It is the reverse

opposite of front crawl in that the swimmer‟s entire body is placed on its back.

It can be just as powerful and energy consuming as the front crawl. The main

advantage to performing this stroke is that breathing underwater is not

needed.

After mastering back crawl and front crawl, we usually move onto

breaststroke. In comparison to crawls, breaststroke is a completely different

character altogether. First, it does not require a large amount of energy to

perform which is why most seniors prefer it. Second it is very graceful and

slow movement allowing the swimmer to take his/her time to move from one

end of the pool to the other. It can be used for competition but is best suitable

for leisure. Finally, whereas front and back crawl rely heavily on force created

by pulling or crawling, breaststroke is largely dependent on momentum and

gliding.

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Butterfly is usually the final stroke every swimmer learns (or ignores)

because it is the most grueling to master. It requires a lot of energy, stamina

and is difficult to perform. Most swim instructors cannot do butterfly well and

often categorize this as a competitive swimmers stroke. You‟ll definitely

capture a lot of attention and admiration in the pool if you can perform this

well.

So What’s The Best Stroke?

So which two strokes can we eliminate? The answer is:

1. Front crawl aka freestyle

2. Back crawl

3. Breaststroke

4. Butterfly

Back crawl can be useful to learn; however, it is as useful as driving in

reverse on a busy highway. Back crawl is a blind stroke where your body

position forces you to look up at the ceiling, which makes it hard to see where

you‟re going. I‟ve seen so many accidents when people perform the back crawl:

bumping into people, crashing into walls, slashing lane ropes, colliding heads,

etc. Back crawl can come in handy if you wish to avoid breathing underwater

but that‟s about it. You don‟t really need to learn it.

Butterfly is very beneficial in terms of getting a superb workout. In fact, if

front crawl were considered jogging, then butterfly would be considered

sprinting. Unfortunately, it is a very difficult stroke to learn and it comes with

a huge learning curve. Most lifeguards dread or are embarrassed to perform

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butterfly because it looks awkward if not done correctly plus it is very

exhausting. If you have the time and patience, then I recommend you give it a

try but for the sake of saving time we can skip, this one as well.

So front crawl and breaststroke are the two we can focus on learning. Both of

them are great for building stamina and resistance and at the same time they

complement one another. Front crawl is fast and hard whereas breaststroke is

soft and slow. I usually mix the two strokes together when doing laps in the

pool, as a runner would mix short bursts of sprinting with long bouts of

jogging.

So in essence, our progression should now look like this:

DAY ONE BREATHING & RELAXATION

Blowing

Bubbles Squat and arms apart, deep breath in

Mouth in the water

Nose in the water

Eyes in the water

Ears in the water

Whole head in the water

Recovery Stance Downwards & Recover

Forwards & Recover

Backwards & Recover

Front Float Both hands holding the edge, lift legs up

One hand holding the edge, lift legs up

Hands on kickboard, lift legs up

No hands, lift legs up

Back Float One hand holding the edge, lift legs up

Hands on kickboard, lift legs up

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No hands, lift legs up

DAY TWO GLIDES

Front Glide Push off the wall one leg with kickboard

Push off the wall two legs with kickboard

Push off the wall two legs without kickboard

Back Glide Push off the wall one leg with kickboard

Push off the wall two legs with kickboard

Push off the wall two legs without kickboard

Flip Glide Front glide to back glide using a kickboard

Back glide to front glide using a kickboard

Front glide to back glide without a kickboard

Back glide to front glide without a kickboard

DAY THREE KICKING

Front Kick Holding onto the edge and kicking

Front kick with kickboard

Front kick without kickboard

Back Kick Back kick with kickboard

Back kick without kickboard

Flip Kick Front to back kick with kickboard

Front to back kick without kickboard

Back to front kick with kickboard

Back to front kick without kickboard

Alternating front and back kick with kickboard

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Alternating front and back kick without kickboard

DAY FOUR FRONT CRAWL BEGINNER

Arms 1-2 arms with kickboard

1-2-3 arms with kickboard

Side Breathing Side kick with kickboard left

Side kick with kickboard right

Rotating side kick with kickboard

1-2-3 with side breathing and kickboard

DAY FIVE FRONT CRAWL ADVANCED

1-2-3 with side breathing without kickboard

1-2-3 breathing with adjusted arms

Continuous Wall push to continuous front crawl

Survival Head up front crawl

DAY SIX BREAST STROKE

Arms Arms timing and technique

Arm pull and kick fast

Arm pull and kick slow

Legs Whip kick timing and technique

Whip kick with kickboard

Complete breast stroke

DAY SEVEN ADVANCED TACTICS

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Dolphin

Sculling

Combining Strokes

To learn more about performing these progressions please visit this link.

Aside from these four strokes, there‟s also diving and treading water to

consider. In my opinion though, learning to dive and tread water is not

necessary. Treading water is a must when you‟re in open waters like oceans or

lakes, especially when surfing, jet skiing or other recreational activities. But if

you have good breathing and are comfortable in the water then you can be ok

with just wearing a lifejacket. Diving on the other hand is solely for

recreational use. In fact, most pools prohibit diving in head first (deep or

shallow areas) as result of many serious accidents. Diving in feet first is a lot

safer and a wiser choice.

Note: To be a good swimmer, you really need to work on two important

components i.e. sleep and diet.

Sleep: Sleep is very critical for everyone whether you are a swimmer or not.

Without it, this will result to impaired cognitive performance, a messed up

appetite regulation mechanism along with a disturbed glucose metabolism.

Without sleep, you won‟t get your body to repair your memory as well as

consolidate memory. Moreover, your body won‟t release the necessary

hormones. Non-REM sleep for instance is very important for athletes given

that it allows your body to release growth hormones, which in turn provide the

optimum conditions for energy storage and anabolism. This ultimately

influences your level of endurance as a swimmer; that‟s according to multiple

studies. You should aim for at least 8 hours of sleep every single night.

Diet: The right balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and

vitamins is very important for advanced performance (both speed and

endurance) as a swimmer. Your diet should essentially contain organic

vegetables, organic nuts, organic meats (wild fish, chicken or steak), organic

fruits, soy protein etc. In particular, protein is very important for swimmers so

don‟t skimp on it. You can learn more about swimmers nutrition here.

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Now that we know what strokes to learn in the pool, it‟s time to prepare a

checklist of things to wear which will be covered in the next chapter.

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Chapter 5: Essential Swimming Equipment

Note: This is the only section of the book that contains affiliate links.

If you‟re looking to shop for some recommend swim gear and skin/hair care

products, then look no further. These links are products that I‟ve personally

used in the past and recommend to you. If you click on any of these links and

purchase any of these items, I earn a small commission (yay), which is no

extra cost to you (win:win) and is much appreciated for helping me out…

thanks in advance

To get the most out of our workout, we essentially need just four items:

1. Goggles

2. Swim Cap

3. Swimsuit

4. Kickboard

Goggles

Goggles are the most important item on our list. We could swim naked if we

wanted to (skinny dipping yay!) and we could swim without goggles; however,

it would be very difficult. Goggles are like a windshield to a car. Sure, we could

drive without one but it would be bothersome. Furthermore, we need to

protect our eyes from the water. Pool water contains a considerable amount of

chlorine that can irritate your eyes overtime so invest in a good pair of goggles

first.

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There are many kinds of swimming goggles in the market. You can buy

goggles online but I recommend going into a store first and trying them on

before buying. First, consider the suction of the goggles onto your eyes.

Make sure they fit snuggly around your eyes and don‟t pop off instantly. Try

one on and then push the goggles into your eye sockets like a plunger using

the base of your palms. Also adjust the strap if necessary so that it wraps

perfectly around the back of your head. You should feel a suction that would

make the goggles stay attached to your eyes. It shouldn‟t be too tight or too

loose… but a nice comfy fit.

There are also varying colors of lenses to choose from. Personally, I prefer

using clear see-through lenses but it‟s also nice to have different kinds of

goggles for different occasions. Amber, Blue and Violet lens colors are perfect

for day-to-day activities and different environments. They provide perfect

vision in low, medium and high light environments. Amber lens for example,

amplifies the light when you‟re training in a low light environment like an

indoor pool and shields your eyes from glare when you‟re out under the sun.

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Clear lenses, on the other hand, provide you with the natural light. It‟s ideal if

you‟re required to see maximum visibility and if you‟re under consistent

lighting. On the other hand, anti-glare lens are better if you‟re always

swimming outdoors. Mirror lenses are perfect for outdoor swimming and for

very bright conditions as its lens reflects the light away. Pros use this to mask

their eyes from their competitors and yes, to add some awesomeness in their

stature.

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Lastly, the smoked lenses functions like sunglasses, they are specifically made

for bright conditions and outdoor swimming in direct sunshine.

Luckily, for people who are wearing glasses daily, you can get your own

prescription glasses made. Just visit the store and have your eyes checked, and

they‟ll do your own customized lens for you.

Personally, I use these goggles from Speedo. The brand is good and highly

recommended. There are also other brands such as Arena, Aqua Sphere and

Sable Brands that are also good.

Swim Caps

Next on our list are swim caps. Swimming caps are very important especially

for girls and guys with medium to long hair. If you have really short buzz cut

hair then you can probably skip this item. They keep your hair neat and

tucked away plus they‟re good for hygiene. There are four types of swim caps:

1. Latex

2. Silicone

3. Polyester

4. Mesh

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Latex swim caps are the most commonly used since they‟re cheap and widely

available. They keep our hair tucked away but they can be very itchy and tight

sometimes. Their original purpose was to keep hair dry but after doing a few

laps, it can get pretty hot under there and you‟ll most likely take it off after

awhile.

Silicone swim caps are made for people who have latex allergies. It is more

durable and expensive; however, the downside is that silicone caps are slick

and slip off easily. I only recommend these to swimmers with small to medium

heads and with shorter hair.

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Polyester or lycra caps are porous and do not really keep the water out,

although they are perfect for keeping your hair untangled, swimmers usually

make this their first layer and then wear a latex swim cap on top for insurance.

Last are my personal favorites: mesh caps. They actually do a good job of

keeping your hair tidy and tucked away and they‟re pretty comfortable and

breathable compared to the traditional silicone and latex caps. I personally

use this one.

Swimsuits

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For swimsuits, there are many types to choose from but for me, I prefer board

shorts for guys like these ones that I wear. For women, a simple one-piece

swimsuit would suffice. They are worn by lifeguards and swim instructors and

are the optimal form of clothing for practicing laps. You can save the bikinis or

speedos for the beach.

Kickboards

Kickboards are the last on our list and come optional. If you‟re planning on

swimming at your local community pool then you can borrow their

kickboards; however, if you have access to your own private pool (hooray for

you) then invest in a good kickboard like this one. Kickboards are the training

wheels when it comes to swimming. They will provide you with the much-

needed support as you practice learning strokes because they allow you to

isolate one part of the body. For example, if you want to concentrate just on

your kicking, then holding a kickboard with your hands can do the job. The

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only requirement is that you look for a kickboard suitable for your size. The

heavier the kickboard, the better suitable it is for adults. The lighter the

kickboard, the more for children. I use this one for my students. You can

check them out here.

As for other stuff like flippers, wetsuits, lifejackets, nose plugs, earplugs,

marshmallows… for the sake of simplicity, I will just say that you could buy

them but they‟re not necessary.

7 Ways to Take Care of Your Skin and Hair When Swimming

In case you haven‟t realized it yet, swimming is a fun and rewarding

experience like no other. However, for all the benefits you get from swimming,

there‟s one drawback you have to watch out for: the chlorine and chemicals

found in the pool. They‟re pretty important because it kills harmful bacteria

found in water like E. coli. However, the chlorine found in pools can show its

effects on your skin and hair. Prolonged swimming can dehydrate your skin

and damage your hair.

This slight downside should in no way stop you from having all the fun in the

pool. With these amazing tips to take care of your skin and hair when

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swimming, you will not only be great at swimming, but look amazing while

you‟re at it!

1. Apply lotion and sunscreen LIBERALLY.

THE PROBLEM: Swimmers commonly complain about their skin turning

red and developing blisters after staying a little too long in the pool. That‟s

sunburn, a burn that affects your skin and is caused by overexposure to UV

radiation—trust me, you would want to avoid it at all costs. Salt in the ocean

and chlorine in pool water can contribute to sunburn.

THE SOLUTION: It‟s pretty much the #1 enemy of any swimmer, but the

solution is actually quite simple. Apply sunscreen before swimming and

reapply sunscreen every half hour during swimming.

I know, it sounds like a drag to have to go out of the pool every 30 minutes

just when you‟re mastering your strokes, but consider it a two-minute break.

The effects of sunscreen wear off every after 40 minutes, so not bothering to

reapply is pretty much asking for a sunburn.

The sunscreen product should be waterproof, sweat free, oil free, and have all-

day skin care protection. On top of that, it must have both UVA and UVB

protection. Sounds a little too much to remember, but trust me, you‟ll thank

me for it! Besides, it will protect you from skin cancer!

- Recommended product:

Aveeno Hydrosport

Biore Sarasara UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence

2. Take a shower before and after swimming.

THE PROBLEM: Think of every cell in your body as an empty sponge. When

dropping a sponge in the pool, it will absorb all the water in the pool, chlorine,

chemicals, and all! That‟s pretty much what happens when you dive straight

into the pool without taking a shower before, and it will mess with the natural

balance of nutrients your body.

THE SOLUTION: The solution is quite simple: take a quick shower. This

way, you‟ll absorb the water from the shower instead. Once you swim in the

pool, you‟ll absorb less chemical. It‟s also more sanitary and protect your body

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from drying out. And remember, showering AFTER is just as important;

otherwise, chlorine will stick to your skin.

- Recommended products:

Triswim

Malibu Swimmers Water Action Wellness Shampoo

3. Avoid getting green streaks on your hair.

THE PROBLEM: Swimmers with blonde hair complain about having a

green, “swimmer hair”. This happens because of a chemical process called

copper oxidation by chlorine, causing the hair to have a green color. It might

sound cool to have a streak of green color in your hair but trust me, it‟s neither

healthy nor attractive

THE SOLUTION: There are products that can specifically address this

problem. Or, you can easily go for alternative solutions like applying coconut

oil, castor oil, or olive oil to your hair pre-swim.

These products will create a sealant between the chlorine and your hair. Plus,

it will make your hair

- Recommended product:

Phyto Plage Protective Sun Veil

Antillean Coconut Oil

NOW Solutions Castor Oil

Olive Body Oil

4. Get rid of the flaky skin

THE PROBLEM: Do you feel your skin becoming a bit flaky after a good

swim. You probably feel itchy too, and that‟s all because of the chemicals from

the pool that sticks to your skin.

THE SOLUTION: I‟ve mentioned that you should take a shower before and

after swimming, and I‟ll say it again: rinse, rinse, rinse. After swimming, use a

clarifying shampoo and body wash with EDTA. EDTA is an ingredient that will

help remove the chemical residue off your hair and skin. It will neutralize

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chlorine and add moisture to your skin to keep it supple. A natural alternative

that you can also use is apple cider vinegar, with one vinegar mixed with four

parts water, poured over freshly washed hair. Also use conditioner with

Moroccan argan oil to strengthen and nourish your hair. You can also use a

leave-in conditioner if you‟re in quite a hurry.

- Recommended Products:

Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo

Moroccan Aragan Oil Conditioner

SwimSpray

Triswim Body Wash

5. Pat yourself dry

THE PROBLEM: Your body cleansing duties don‟t end after you‟ve

showered post-swim. You also have to be careful when drying yourself! People

don‟t realize it, but scrubbing one‟s self with towel will over exfoliate the skin.

THE SOLUTION: The solution is not to rub the towel all over your body and

hair in order to get dry; instead, pat yourself dry. You should also do this with

your hair. Instead of scrubbing it, wrap the towel around the hair, and let it

soak the water in. It will take a while, but your body will thank you for

6. Apply lotion

THE PROBLEM: You might have done everything I‟ve mentioned above, yet

your skin still feels a little dry after all that swimming.

THE SOLUTION: This is one of the finishing touches of your post-swim

ritual. Go the extra mile to re-hydrate and moisturize your skin by using lotion

that has the following ingredients: cacao butter, aloe vera, and shea butter.

Also, keep in mind: it‟s okay to use a face moisturizer on your body, but don‟t

use body lotion on your face. The pH level on your face is different from the

rest of your body, and body lotion can be a bit drying and irritating to the face.

- Recommended Product:

Palmer‟s Cocoa Butter Formula

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Triple Lanolin Aloe Vera Hand and Body Lotion

St. Ives Body Lotion Oatmeal and Shea Butter

Triswim Body Lotion

7. Keep yourself hydrated

THE PROBLEM: Chlorine and other chemicals bond to your skin when

swimming, and you will have to flush them out with all the solutions I

mentioned.

THE SOLUTION: All the other tips I mentioned will help re-hydrate your

skin. And to make sure you have everything covered, keep yourself hydrated

by simply dinking a lot of water before, during and after swimming. It will

help flush out the toxins in your body, and keep your skin supple from the

You must be thinking: “This is a lot to do to my hair and skin for an hour or

two at the community pool.” Well, if you‟re all about protecting your hair and

skin, all while you reap the benefits of swimming, it‟s going to be worth it.

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Chapter 6: When to Swim

Now that we know what to practice and what to bring to the pool, let‟s now

decide upon a time to practice. The best time to go is when it is not crowded,

as this will mean there will be fewer distractions. The worst is when you‟re

competing for space with experienced swimmers, which can be a little

intimidating. Therefore, if you‟re using your local community pool, then I

would suggest that you get a copy of their swim schedule. Usually, every pool

has lap swimming in the morning and evenings and lessons in between. I do

not recommend practicing during the pool‟s swimming lessons because there

are way too many people using the pool. Lots of screaming kids and lane

closures will occur so do your best to avoid them. My recommendation when

starting off is to go at a time when the pool is quiet and not crowded i.e.

mornings or evenings.

In the morning, you‟ll see a lot of regulars doing their morning swim routine

starting at 5 or 6am. Some are good and some not so good. If you are a

morning person, then I recommend going at this time. The water is super

fresh and it can be a great start to your day. The other option is late evening

like around 7 or 8pm. I like swimming in the evening; this is usually the time

when public swimming lessons end and the parents and kids pack up and go

home… optimal time for a swim. The water isn‟t the freshest but sometimes,

you can have the entire pool to yourself. The atmosphere in the evening is a lot

more relaxed and is a great way of ending your day. Whichever time you

choose, make sure you stick with it and keep track of your progress. One more

thing; I would also suggest that you do your training during the weekdays,

because a lot of pools host family events, birthday parties and group aquatic

exercise classes during the weekends.

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Chapter 7: Where to swim

Yay, we have finally arrived at the last chapter. Thank you for reading this far

and I hope you have gained some insight into becoming a better swimmer. So

far, we‟ve covered how to breathe, how to float, how to overcome the fear of

water, what strokes to learn, what equipment to bring, and when to swim.

Let‟s now choose a place to practice.

Did you know that swimming started way back in Egypt when a person fell off

a cliff and dove accidentally into the waters? Accounts of archeological

discoveries then spread from Assyria to the western countries and

interestingly, in ancient Rome and Greece, swimming was a part of their

martial arts training. Little boys learned how to swim at the same time they

when they were learning how to walk. Fast forward to many years later, the

first swimming organization was formed in London in 1837 and by that time,

London already had six indoor swimming pools built with diving boards.

So where is the best place to swim? Basically, there are three places to choose

from:

1. Community Indoor Pool

2. Outdoor Pool

3. Private Pool

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Community pools are great when starting out. You can meet a lot of

regulars and lifeguards who are more than welcome to provide some feedback

on your swimming. They do come with a lot of challenges though.

1: For starters, you must abide by their pool schedules meaning you can‟t just

drop in anytime and expect to get a decent workout. That‟s not all; you‟re

competing with other swimmers, lessons, aerobics, noisy kids, parents,

seniors, etc. Again you will have to find an optimal time to swim in order to

get the best workout as discussed in the previous chapter.

2: Second, community pool water can contain a large amount of chlorine.

Chlorine is used to disinfect the pool water from spit, hair, dirt, urine (yes

people do pee in public pools a lot) and other gross stuff left behind by others.

If you have sensitive skin like myself make, sure you thoroughly rinse and

apply a good body moisturizer.

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As a swim instructor, I spend most of my days in the pool and if you have a

very sensitive skin like mine, I would suggest that you do a thorough shower

and scrub after every swim and make sure to get rid of that white layer of

chlorine off your skin. As for hair, chlorine is known for damaging our hair

coating called sebum that protects our hair shaft. Make sure you wear apply a

good shampoo and conditioner afterwards unless you enjoy getting split ends

and dry frizzy hair.

Outdoor pools like in a hotel or beach can be another option. Unfortunately,

these pools are dependent on the weather and usually they are meant for large

gathering of children and parents to play in. Also, eventually, you‟re going to

see a lot of dead bugs in the water (gross).

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Finally, there is my personal favorite: the private pool. These days, a lot of

condos have built-in indoor pools so why not use it to your advantage? If you

don‟t have a private pool, try finding a friend or neighbor that does have

access to one. Private pools are great because they are usually quiet and not

used as frequently as community pools. As a result, the water is often less

chlorinated and fresher. Another advantage is that since there are no

lifeguards at hand, most private pools have no deep end, which is great for

beginners starting out. I personally love swimming in my private pool …ah the

convenience!

Do you still have questions that you feel that this book has not yet answered?

If you do, the next chapter will answer some of the questions I have seen some

students asking.

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Chapter 8: Personal Success Stories

1: My Mom’s Learn-To-Swim Success Story

“I learned to swim on my own without lessons. It took me many summers,

each year re-acclimating myself to the uncomfortable feeling of just dunking

my head under water. I was motivated by my friends and the hot, humid

summers in Virginia where I grew up. Eventually, I was able to dive for

coins in shallow water and then able to swim around in the deep water.

In my early twenties, I learned to swim competitive strokes, went on to

become a lifeguard, a mile-a-day swimmer, and a swim instructor. Over a

decade later, I joined a masters swim team and competed in meets. And just

to top myself, I started swimming in the ocean (oh the cold Pacific Ocean!)

Now I prefer to be underwater over anywhere else!

But my mom, who took us to the pool as often as we begged, and who has

been supportive in all my swimming adventures, had never learned to swim.

So here she is, she has moved across the country to Southern California, to be

close to me (only child- favorite child!) and her granddaughters. She has seen

my husband and I teach swimming, and my mother-in-law too. She has been

to almost every swim meet that we have coached, that our daughters have

competed in, that my husband and I have competed in. She goes with us to

the beach and the pool, which is where we spend most of our leisure time.

And finally, at the age of retirement, she takes the plunge.

Her biggest fears were underwater discomfort and coordination. I tried to

reassure her that she would not be expected to do freestyle arms, kicks, and

breathing until she was ready.

At AquaWave, we are so fortunate to have Bunny, our adult swim teacher.

She has the knowledge, experience, and patience to start from the beginning

and help her students through their progression at their own pace. I have

seen a lot of success stories come from her teaching, but had never been

aware of the triumphs of every single lesson until my mom started hers.

I could see her beaming with pride after each accomplishment, and she

would always ask me why I was laughing. “Mom, I am laughing because I

am so proud of you, and it brings me so much joy to see someone learning to

swim, especially someone I love. That’s why I love my job.” My giggles hide

my tears.”

Courtesy of aquawaveswimschool

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2. Renay’s Story

Courtesy of FLEXISEQ

“At the start of the year, Renay Richardson couldn't swim. Renay was one of

the one in five adults in the UK unable to swim. But thanks to Swim London's

program, she is now a confident swimmer who has just taken part in an

open-water swimming event.

For me, exercise is about overcoming a challenge. I like to push myself

beyond what I thought I could do.

All those who were involved were all first time open-water swimmers. Most

of us couldn’t swim before, others were weak swimmers who did it to feel

more confident in the water.

Having got an appetite for it, I want to carry on for a long time-probably not

open-water swimming but in a pool. I sometimes feel bad that i didn’t learn

how to swim earlier.

Being part of a group adds an extra sense of motivation. You support each

other; you don’t judge yourself by what they’re achieving because everyone

starts from a different place. Moreover, you even pass on the little tips you

figure out about technique and breathing to your classmates. You help each

other

The instructors were amazing. They’re in the water with you, not on the side.

So they can demonstrate and see exactly what you’re supposed to do. They

were integral to our development and the program.

Many pro Olympic swimmers won’t do open-water swimming. It was just

another challenge to train us up and achieve another goal.”

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Courtesy of Reddit.

3: Antony’s Honeymoon Swimming Story

“My name is Antony. I got married to the woman of my dreams this year

(27th February 2016). We had some very great plans for our honeymoon. We

were planning to go to two beach resorts during our honeymoon to spice

things up.

We had one problem though; none of us knew how to swim (what a loss!).

While my fiancé (my wife now) was suggesting that we go for swimming

classes before the wedding, we were too busy with the wedding plans and

work such that we could not spare much time for that.

I promised her that we would learn swimming together during our

honeymoon. And that’s what happened. We were fully committed to learning

how to swim in the 7 days when we were on honeymoon such that by the

time our honeymoon was over, we had overcome the fear of water, floating

challenges, breathing challenges and much more. It was just amazing how

much fun we were having as we shared whatever each one was learning

through trial and error.”

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Chapter 9: Private vs. Group vs. Solo Lessons

When it comes to deciding between having private swimming lessons or group

lessons, you should realize that it is always about the tradeoff between the

amount of tuition time received and cost.

The private lessons in general come with an extra cost- are more expensive

than group lessons since what you will be paying for intense private or one-to-

one tuition. Therefore, your progress made in swimming will definitely be

much quicker. I guess that is what you are really paying for at the end of the

day!

So much frustration that develops from swimming lessons is usually about

little attention from the learner in the group learning setup where quite often,

the learner will be left holding the bar that‟s around the pool waiting for

guidance or a go-ahead to begin swimming. This „waiting‟ tends to carry their

attention elsewhere especially if the learners are children. But don‟t get me

wrong; group swimming lessons are okay and have their place and work well

when a good swimming teacher is conducting the session. If the teacher has

full control over the class and is able to get the best out of the learners, then it

can work well.

Group swimming lessons work well with children who already know how to

swim but probably need technique improvement since they can be able to

focus on the same aspect of swimming stroke that‟s being done. However, for

young kids and beginners trying to swim, making progress in group lessons is

a lot slower than private one-to-one swimming lessons.

It all depends on you. You know yourself best. You know your current

standard of swimming and how you can respond in a one-to-one situation or

group. I nevertheless recommend that you stick to a private swimming lesson

if you can manage the extra cost. The intense tuition in a private lesson always

gives the best results. You will need a good teacher though so… ask around!

Word of mouth recommendations are the best.

How about learning how to swim without an instructor, solo? It is possible I

agree, but requires a lot of passion lest you give up in the middle of the whole

thing. There are many resources online about it. My suggestion would be that

you go through several sites to assist yourself determine what you really want

to accomplish in terms of learning the basic technique, increasing your

endurance, the competitive workouts and generally becoming an efficient

swimmer. Remember to take lessons in a public pool or somewhere with good

swimmers around.

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Endurance will be your biggest issue. But as you improve on that, you can

even get a waterproof camera then proceed to film yourself swimming in a

stationary position using bungee cords. Begin analyzing your stroke against

the professional swimmers. Observe how the hips move, how the hands get

into the water, when they breathe and much more. With practice and

persistence, you will get it. But if possible I will repeat; get a private trainer to

guide you and make it easy for you to progress effectively.

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Chapter 10: FAQ

From the conversations below, I am (Justin) answering questions from

different people.

Soundkite: Flip turns have really changed my swimming and enhanced my

fitness since they come with a rhythmic endorphin filled harmony.

Nox: “How do you manage to teach adult flip turns? Might be useless but

they appear to be quite fun. I would really want to learn the flip turns.”

Dep: I think they assist me reduce my “cheating” and not take much gulps of

air as I do during open turns.

Justin:

“To begin with, in shallow water, you practice the front somersaults with

your arms spread outwards to manage the spin. Ensure to finish a complete

turn and land on your feet while inhaling a lot of air and then practice

consistent exhaling as you spin because after the push off, you will be in glide

mode for a moment.

You should also position yourself about five meters away from the wall and

make a swim towards it as you slowly make a flip; make your feet get used

to the wall contact. Let it become an instinct. With your eyes facing the wall

in front, get enough oxygen and prepare yourself to make a roll, then push

from the wall, breath out and glide.

Personally, I believe flips are quite useless if you are not competing; you can

easily crash into other people in the pool when you are doing laps since it’s a

blind move.

Lieentz: Is swimming enough sport to lose weight and or get fit?

Justin

Well, to lose weight, you must eat less calories than you burn irrespective of

your level of physical activity. While swimming can help you go get fitter, if

you are eating more calories than you are burning, you won’t lose weight.

Swimming is a good way of keeping fit if you do it right. Many people will

get into the pool without giving it their all, not having a plan for anything

they are doing. Being a lifeguard, I watch this all the time. Chatting with

friends and stuff like that in the pool does not do you any good in terms of

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working out. Have a game plan in your mind: ten laps of front crawls, three

minutes of hot tub and stretching, ten laps of breast stroke etc…

TacoBot: I managed to lose thirty pounds with this a few years ago. I did

some swimming three to five times a week while using the MyFitnessPal to

track the calories.

Avalon: I began swimming a few weeks ago. It’s only yesterday that I did

my first 100 meter swim and was my first time treading in the water for

about five minutes. I really struggled at the end of both, barely finishing. My

question is; how can I increase my endurance and distance?

Justin

As a lifeguard, I have to swim five hundred meters in less than twenty

minutes. Lifeguards achieve this through practice. For the others, you have

to ask yourself the following:

Do I have a 100% clean and precise form?

Do I test my stamina during each session?

Do I perform beneficial things outside the pool in terms of swimming…e.g.,

diet?

To improve your form, you can have your coach, and other swimmers to

observe your form. And if you have no one around or don’t want to bother

others, you can use a video recorder or iPhone to record your swimming.

Get a t-shirt to add more resistance to your swimming then add another lap

to each set. Get the right food and do some gym workouts as you target the

weak parts.

Zetsui: “How can you find a good instructor? The online coaches I come

across online usually have no times posted online anywhere, lack competitive

background and are booked out at more than eighty dollars an hour. Do I have

a reason to think they are not selling snake oil?”

Justin

That is a very good question. The prices you mentioned are quite the usual

but you will have to get what really works for you.

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Do fancy learning in groups? Try attending the adult lessons at your local

pool and save dollars, receive great socializing and perform generic drills

apart from which I would recommend them.

If you want a 1:1, you should hire a private instructor, a little more expensive

yes, but more effective. You will receive the individual feedback needed and

you will cut down on the learning time. Expect to have one to four lessons.

If you want to learn by yourself, you should take time to watch the videos on

YouTube or request your friend to teach you during his free time. However,

most of the online stuff is pretty generic to me; it does not hit me that much

to cater to the usual everyday person. When it comes to friends, be careful; it

might be the “blind leading the blind” thing… expect many lessons.

When you want to find a good instructor, you should expect the good ones to

walk the talk as much as I do. If they come up with excuses or decline to get

in the water, I would not go for it if I were you”

Julianne: I have been swimming for about a month. I am having classes

and swimming an hour five to six times a week. Will I get to a point where i

don’t feel as if I am running out of air even after taking deep breathes? I just

feel that my breathing is not keeping up with my arms and legs.

Justin

“Are you taking a large enough breath? Perhaps you are not. If your

shoulders usually go up or you somewhat feel air is filling up your lungs or

chest, this indicates that you are actually taking a shallow breath. The truth

is; a deep breath usually comes from down your diaphragm. To take one;

make a low note like you are yawning then try concentrating air down into

the stomach. If you are doing it properly, your tummy should fill with air

and raise- nothing more should be affected.”

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Conclusion

Thanks again for downloading this book!

We‟ve covered a lot and I hope that this information was beneficial to you.

Remember the importance of breathing, the strokes, optimal time and

environment for practicing as well as what equipment you will need. Make it a

habit to workout at least 30 minutes per session and also keep in mind that

half the battle for an awesome body is proper dieting and nutrition.

Also, keep it simple. Do things one step at a time. Breathe, relax… enjoy the

water. Happy swimming!

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What’s Next?

Step 1: Learn More…

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will explore swimming even further and help you on your journey…

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Step 2: Get Better Fast!

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start.

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Step 3: Get In Touch With Me

If you have any questions or need help please feel free to contact me and I will

help you the best I can…

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